Police To Run For Fitness Funds

The run is being planned for Oct. 5-6 and will begin in Titusville, on the Atlantic coast, and end in Bayport, on the Gulf coast, said officer Neal Trautman, the department's fitness program coordinator.

Trautman began work last September on a comprehensive fitness program primarily for full-time officers but open to all department employees. The cornerstone of the program is a physical fitness test administered each spring and fall.

During the first test in April, 61 of the 63 full-time officers, as well as some part-timers and civilian employees, participated in timed mile runs, two minutes of pushups and two minutes of situps. The next test is set for Sept. 16-18.

During the rest of the year, officers can participate in free exercise classes offered by Orange County Public Schools, use some city recreation equipment free, and receive a monthly nutrition and fitness newsletter published by the police department.

Trautman said the fitness equipment is needed to improve training. The hope is to raise $5,000 to buy a heart and pulse monitor and a stationary running machine that measures aerobic fitness.

''We had a meeting to decide how to improve the program and everything we came up with required funding,'' said Trautman. ''We thought of car washes and garage sales but felt we needed to show the public our commitment to physical fitness.''

One officer will use his motor home to take the runners to Titusville and the officers hope to use a city police car to drive beside the runners to protect them from traffic on the trek along State Road 50, Trautman said. He estimated the distance at 150 miles.

''We plan to go for 24 hours without stopping. As one runner gets tired another will take over without breaking the flow,'' Trautman said.

Track Shack, an Orlando store specializing in runner's apparel, will provide running clothes in the blue colors worn by Winter Park police and the shirts will have the department's name on them, Trautman said.